Weight loss diary #6

When I walk I can feel the difference in my arms.

They feel worked -- a little tired, not quite weak. But they feel stronger.

When I squat to get something on a low shelf, I can feel the work in my legs.

Last night Jill and I ordered queso, and it was served to us in a boiling volcanic vat.

:)

I had a margarita, just one.

Today I've had:

• coffee
• low fat vanilla yogurt
• banana
• cinnamon
• chia seeds
• salad with: chicken, tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, chia seeds, balsamic dressing
• fizzy water, fizzy water, fizzy water!*

*I discovered that my favorite lunch spot has soda water, so I'll be replacing my customary Diet Coke with that. Mmm, love the bubbles.

Planning to do a workout tonight, just not sure what. Could be yoga, swimming, or treadmill and weights.

Tomorrow I'm dropping my car off for repair and then walking 3.3 miles to Alex's place, where I'll hang out until the car's ready. I'll probably have him drive me to pick up the car, but I might be feelin' frisky and go ahead and walk the 3.3 miles back. Wouldn't that be crazy?!

All righty, gotta get some desk work done. Busy busy busy.

-- BB

Weight loss diary #5

Are these posts annoying? Don't care. Still gonna post 'em. I've gotta journal, and because I'm me, I prefer an audience for my thoughts and feelings.

Just finished up another round at the gym. That's two days in a row, for those counting at home, of 25 minutes of cardio, and some butt/legs/arms/abs work.

I got really hungry before my workout, and I was out and about, so I grabbed a protein bar (full of fat, yikes) and a 2 percent (lowest percent I could get) milk at 7-Eleven. As soon as I finished them, I felt overly full, whereas five minutes prior I felt super stinkin' hungry.

Anyway.

I was wavering a liiiiittle bit when I bent down into lunge position today, but I did three sets.

I'm enjoying a -- you guess it --

fizzy water

at the moment. When hunger sets in, I'll either go for hummus and carrots or apple and peanut butter. Or another smoothie. Or quinoa.

Looking forward to a l'il shower, throwing on something light (because it's hot) and billowy (because I'm self conscious about my tum tum), perhaps smearing some make up on my face, and then heading out for my date with Jill Darling.

But before that, I think I'll chill with the cat and maybe stitch. Maybe read? I'm tearing through Rebecca Stead's "Goodbye Stranger" right now. She always has a mystery running through her tales, and I love her character development. In this particular book I have a heart for everyone, even the minor people; it's hard to make your readers feel this way about everyone who makes an appearance on the page, but Ms. Stead does it.

If my dad were in charge of this moment, he would say, "Work on your book!!"

We'll see.

Healthy hugs!
Bailey

Weight loss diary #4

Another smoothie down the hatch:

• Kale
• Banana
• Skim milk
• Chia seeds
• Frozen berries

I forgot the protein powder. 

Did a mega workout last night. 25 minutes on the treadmill, arms, legs, butt, and abs. Get it!

Tonight I'm eating queso. I'm meeting with my sweet bloggie friend, Jill, and we must have queso. It's just part of the routine. 

I might have a beer, haven't decided yet. 

I'm not really sore at all from last night, and girrrrrrrl I slept like a baby! I imagine some soreness will set in tomorrow. 

I haven't decided what I'm doing for a workout today, but I think after therapy I'll head back to the gym for some more cardio and weights. Go for it while I've still got the energy. 

Then: queso reward. But to be honest, I'm looking forward more to the girl time than the oozy, cheesy goodness. No offense to the queso, I just really like Jill. 

Weight loss diary #3

Last night I had kale for dinner.

Well, more than just kale, but still. Kale is kale. Read: not that interesting no matter how much you jazz it up.

The kale itself was crunchier than I would have liked (like, hard crunchy) and almost tart. It's not my fave, but there was a whole big plastic container of it on sale for 99 cents, so I decided to make that my green for the evening.

I put the kale in a bowl, then topped it with lentils (cooked in olive oil, onion, garlic, reduced-sodium taco seasoning and veggie broth), avocado, tomato, mild green salsa, just a touch of low fat cheese, and fresh lime juice.

I have to say, the lime juice really did wonders for the otherwise bland and almost tart kale.

I gave my friends taco shells to fill up with lentil happiness, and they sipped on beers -- mmm, cold Blue Moon on a warm summer night... -- but I ate my kale and drank my weight in lemon-lime fizzy water.

As I type this I sip on a cranberry lime fizzy water.

Fizzy water for everyone!

My gym bag is packed in my car -- complete with freshly-synced-and-charged iPod shuffle (purple), headphones, and a water bottle. I made sure to grab a hair tie when I left the apartment this morning.

After work I will possibly feel bored, tired, unmotivated. But I am going to the gym!

If for some reason I decide not to go to the gym, then my bod best be bobbin' in the pool, because Bailey needs to exercise!

I've lost a wee bit of weight -- at this point I won't say how much -- which is nice.

It's so strange, though, to have a goal of losing weight. I've never done that before.

Some positives about having this goal:

1. It feels good, plain and simple, to have a goal. Just like my goal of writing a draft of my book, or paying off my credit card after vacation, or getting a stack of paper off my desk at work -- a goal is a goal. I kind of like goals. I had to grow into them, as I've grown up, but I do like them.

2. I've found a newfound community in this weight loss journey. It's made up of people I already knew and loved before, but now I'm constantly texting, emailing, calling, walking down the hall at the office to chat -- to give an update about something. Even if it's as mundane as saying, "I ate kale for dinner!", it helps so much to talk to someone who is after a similar goal. We help curb cravings together; by just expressing to each other that we want an unhealthy snack makes it somehow easier to avoid that snack. We say stuff like, "I know, me too," and when we tell each other that we're headed to the gym we say, "Woo hoo!"

OK that's all my thoughts for now. Back to tackling paperwork and drinking fizzy water.

Health for all,
Bails

Weight loss diary #2

I honestly don't have that many FEELINGS to write out right now, I'm just bored.

Which is a feeling.

Ha! So I have some fodder after all.

Anyway, I'm one of those weirdos who writes when she's bored, even though many people would rather poke their eyeballs out than write.

So let's see what I've eaten today, shall we:

Black coffee
Cheez-Its
Cashew chicken
Diet Coke
Fizzy water x2
Animal cracker/cookie things

So not great but not terrible.

Tonight I'm making lentil tacos for friends, and while I will give them the full culinary experience with taco shells, I myself plan to eat my lentils on a bed of greens.

I'm not too excited, but also not too downtrodden over this decision.

The harder part will be not having a beer. Not. One. Beer.

Though, I have to say, having spent the whole day gearing up mentally for lentil greens and no beer is making the transition into actually eating greens and not drinking beer a little easier. Like, I'm not kicking and screaming, but I could be.

When I've gone to use the copy machine today, I can feel the pillow in my stomach leaning against the machine, and I dislike that. I just can't believe I have so much cushion on my stomach.

I walked twice today, during my breaks at work, even though it was warm.

All righty, that's about all I have to say now. I may have an update later after I eat lentils. I actually love lentils, and they're super yummy when cooked in onion, garlic, chicken or veggie broth, and taco seasoning. Muy flavorful!

Think healthy thoughts!
Me